


Sick of losing Soulmates

by Destiel__winchester



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Asexual Jughead, Campfire, Dodie clark song, Dorks in Love, First Kiss, M/M, also cheryl being a tease, archie and jug have a lil convo where archie acknowledges she was manipulative, because I love her, because she fuc king was, like blink and you'll miss it, mentions of miss grundy (ew), she's my wife i love her, side beronica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 17:36:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9913649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiel__winchester/pseuds/Destiel__winchester
Summary: At a small get-together between friends, Archie shows everyone a song he's been working on. No one seems to realise it's about Jughead.Except for Jughead.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The song that Archie wrote is 'Sick of Losing Soulmates' by Dodie Clark. It's a beautiful song that I highly recommend you listen to. I mostly picked it because 1) It's amazing and strangely really fits Jug and Archie's situation in the show???  
> And 2) There's a line about a grey hat which is probably a metaphor and isn't as figurative as I make it out to be in this fic but I decided to use it to my advantage anyway (*cough* like Grundy did with Archie *cough*) also this line was changed from 'our' to 'your'

''Archiekins, you lug that thing with you everywhere you go now,'' Veronica complained as she strutted along the sidewalk, her heels clicking against the gravel. Archie chuckled slightly, adjusting the strap of the guitar as Jughead shook his head. 

''Juggie, help me out here,'' Archie asked, looking over to Jughead who simply snorted a laugh. 

''To be fair, she has a point,'' he said, turning to Kevin who nodded in agreement. The group walked side by side towards Sweet Water River, the sunset encompassing them all in a warm, red glow. For one night they wanted to live like normal teenagers. Teenagers that weren't caught in the middle of a murder investigation. Teenagers who weren't in scandalous love affairs or homeless. They just wanted to live for a night. A silent agreement seemed to have been made between the friends to not go anywhere near certain places there for certain reasons. One being Jason Blossom's dead body. The other being Miss Grundy, or Jenniffer Gibson if we're getting specific. 

After aching legs, and sometimes forced laughter the group made it to the river and set up a campfire. Veronica lay on a blanket as she pulled off her heels, sighing in relief as she flexed her foot.

''Thank God, those things were killing me,'' She exclaimed, tying the laces of a pair of converse she had retrieved from her bag. Cheryl, who at some point had decided to join the group on their trip, picked up the black heels and stared in fascination at the intricacy; not that she'd tell Veronica that. 

''Why the hell would you wear them if you're just going to change into those things?'' Jughead asked, sitting beside Archie who was staring at the fire, completely shut out to the rest of them. The flames flickered like his eyes as he became lost in the bright glow of the heat. 

''Because, my friend, it's a statement. I wear them and I'm ten times more intimidating.'' Jughead zoned out as Kevin argued that she was already terrifying, deciding to focus on the red headed boy beside him instead. A gentle shove finally gained his attention. 

''Hey man, you okay?'' Jughead whispered, careful not to let the others hear. 

''I'm fine it's just...'' Archie trailed off, his speech mumbling towards the end. However, Jughead needed to know his friend was okay. So another gentle shove let Archie know it was okay. ''It's just that this is where Jason happened and where-'' 

''Where Miss Grundy used you, yeah I know.''

''She didn't use me, Jug. I let her, I wanted to.'' Jughead sighed. 

''That doesn't mean that she didn't see an opportunity to take a young, naive kid and manipulate him, Archie.'' 

''...I know.'' As Jughead sighed again, he cautiously wrapped an arm around Archie's shoulder who gratefully took the comfort and rested his head on Jughead's shoulder. Jughead was never a fan of intimacy like this. Unless it was with Archie, for some reason. 

''I was worried about... Something, the day it happened,'' Archie explained, his head still on Jughead's shoulder and the other's still in a deep conversation about something Jughead wasn't paying attention to. ''I was feeling things about someone that I shouldn't have been feeling so I went for a walk. And I saw Miss Grundy and I thought: Why the hell not? So I did.'' 

The revelation stopped Jughead in his tracks as he thought long and hard about what Archie had said. Forcing down the bubbling anger and hatred, he thought of Grundy manipulating Archie when he was in such a vulnerable state. Carefully, he snuck a glance at Archie who was looking just the same at Jughead. He decided to blame the rising heat in his cheeks on the fire beside them. It always had to be Archie. Always had to be him that made him feel like this. 

You see, Jughead's sexuality had always been a confusing thing for him like it was for anybody. It had taken him years to acknowledge and accept his asexuality and it took him just as long to embrace it. For so long his mind had overcrowded him with thoughts of 'You're just a late bloomer' and 'This is just a phase'. But those things always pushed back the small inkling of his brain that said differently. It wasn't that Jughead wasn't interested in sex because he was, in a way. It did fascinate him, honestly. But he didn't feel the compelling need or want to take part in it. He just didn't feel sexual attraction for anyone. Plain and simple. He was finally happy saying he was a biromantic asexual. Finally. 

''So Archie, about that music huh? You gonna actually show us something you wrote or?'' Betty asked, pulling Jug away from his thoughts. She leant into Veronica for warmth as she smiled. Jughead decided to ignore the fact there was a campfire right there. Archie sat up, his hair dishevelled from leaning against Jughead and stared at the dancing flames, his head shaking. 

''No I-'' 

''Oh come on Archie. Show us what you got.'' All eyes were on him as Cheryl spoke, her eyebrow lifting in a teasing way. Finally, he agreed. 

''Okay, fine. I brought the guitar anyway so-'' 

''Exactly! It's only fair you show us what you got,'' Kevin added. 

As Archie checked and tuned his strings he thought long and hard about what song he should sing. He wracked his brain through every half wrote, failed song and every soulful, beautiful one. But only one stood out to him. One he couldn't possibly sing. Because the inspiration was sat right next to him. Heat rose in his cheeks as he thought about the lyrics, the words gliding in his mind. 

_If I just change his name ..._

No. No, he couldn't possibly- 

_No one will know. It'll be a weight off your shoulders._

Archie decided he couldn't argue with himself as he prepared. Slowly, his fingers danced and plucked at the strings, a rich melody filling the air around the group. Soon, the only sound was Archie's guitar and his voice, melting into the cool breeze. 

_What a strange being you are_  
God knows where I would be  
If you hadn't found me sitting all alone in the dark 

All eyes were fixed on Archie as he became lost in the song. Lost in Jughead.

_A dumb screenshot of youth_  
Watch how cold, broken teeth would desperately lean  
On a superglued human of proof 

Slowly, his mind overflowed with memories of himself and Jughead. How close they had been. How Archie had thrown it away that night. Because he was scared of his feelings. 

_'Cause I'm sick of losing soulmates_  
So where do we begin?  
I can finally see you're as fucked up as me  
So how do we win? 

He remembered how he put so much into writing the song. How after he'd spoken to Jughead that night at the game he went home and wrote the entire thing. Hours he spent, his fingers numb and bleeding from picking the guitar strings till 3 in the morning. Because Jughead deserved it. He deserved everything and more. They'd been through so much together and Archie had thrown it all away to be with his music teacher. But he promised, he was going to make things right. And he never broke a promise. 

_We will grow old as friends_  
I've promised that before  
So what's one more in your grey hat's circle, waiting for the end 

Jughead's breathing stopped. He looked among the others but none of them seemed to have noticed. They were all too busy taking in Archie's talent. Surely it wasn't. 

_Time and hearts will wear us thin_  
So which path will you take?  
'Cause we both know a break  
Does exactly what is says on the tin 

Surely the song wasn't for **him?**

_Yeah, I'm sick of losing soulmates_  
Won't be alone again  
I can finally see, you're as fucked up as me  
So, how do we win? 

As Archie played the last note the group were lost in what seemed like a never-ending silence. Looking up from his guitar, Archie blushed at the speechless looks on his friends' faces. His smile was bright as he turned to look at Jughead who stared at Archie, his eyes searching for any kind of answer. Archie's smile was slowly replaced with a concerned frown as the others stared at Jughead, worried, through the flickering flames. 

''So...'' Kevin proceeded, deciding to lift the slowly growing tension. ''Who was that about?'' Kevin's pitiful attempt only pushed the ever growing awkward tension to grow faster, the group sitting in an uncomfortable silence as Jughead finally ripped his eyes from Archie's face. For a moment, he stared at the grass below them before he opened his mouth to speak. 

''Yeah, Archie. Who was that about?'' Jughead asked, his voice barely passing a whisper. Everyone heard Archie's quiet gasp as he realised. His heart beat quickened and his fists clenched, sweat on his palms. The silence grew again, everyone waiting with baited breath for Archie to answer. 

''You know who it was about.'' 

''Guys, could you let me and Archie talk for a moment. Alone.'' Jughead's eyes never left Archie's face as he spoke, something he'd been doing a lot lately, he realised. Betty was the first to stand as she grabbed Veronica's wrist pulling the raven haired girl along with her through the dark sky. Soon, Kevin followed, running behind the girls his breath heavy. 

''Guys, wait up! You can't abandon me in this place!" 

Cheryl stayed, her arms folded across her body, staring expectantly at the pair of boys. Reluctantly, Jughead stripped his gaze from Archie to Cheryl, his eyes begging her to leave. With a loud, pretentious sigh, she stood up and waltzed off towards the others clearly disappointed that she couldn't stay for the drama. 

Archie laughed slightly at Cheryl's reaction, watching until he was sure their friends couldn't hear them. Once he was positive they were out of earshot, he turned to Jughead, ready to apologise over and over again for ruining their already broken friendship. 

''Jughead I am-'' 

''Before I let you go any further, Archibald, I need to be sure,'' Jughead inhaled, preparing himself to ask. He silently prayed he was right. ''Who was it about?''

''You.'' 

Jughead felt dizzy as his chest tightened and his stomach flipped. It almost felt too good to be true as he pinched himself slightly to check. A swift hand swatted at Jug's as he did so, causing him to look up in shock and amusement at Archie. 

''What the hell are you pinching yourself for?''

''To make sure this is real.''

Now it was Archie's turn to go dizzy. 

''Are you serious?'' Jughead nodded. ''Wha- for real?'' Archie laughed, his breath short for some reason. 

''Yes. I thought I already figured that one out. Do I need to pinch you now too?'' Jughead asked, his hands reaching out for Archie who fell backwards onto the blanket as he tried to move out of the way of Jug's arms. The pair laughed together as Jughead leant over Archie, his hands finding their way to Jughead's hips from beneath him. 

''Kiss me?'' 

Archie fell silent. His heart picked up speed as he took in what Jughead said. Slowly, he sat back up, his hands moving to rest on Jughead's arms. 

''W-what?'' His voice shook as he spoke, smiling breathlessly at Jug. 

''Are you deaf? I've been waiting for this moment for so long Archie Andrew's now kiss me, you idiot.'' Jughead waited with baited breath as Archie leant in, his hands shaking as they cupped Jughead's face. The fire beside them burned brightly as their lips met for the first time and Jughead could have sworn he stopped breathing. His hands grasped and fumbled at Archie's letterman jacket, their lips moving together in a heated dance. Neither understood how long the other had waited for this moment. It was rushed. It was heated. It was everything the two had longed to say but never had, pent up into one emotionally raw kiss. 

Finally, the two separated, Archie choosing to lean his forehead on Jughead's. The slow rise and fall of their chests in a synchronised rhythm was the only movement they noticed as they smiled at each other, Jughead's beanie askew. After a peaceful moment, Jughead was the first to speak. 

''Archie, I- I love you okay. I always have and I always will. But I'm going to give you the choice because I know that me being asexual is going to make this tricky and I-''

''Jughead, listen to me,'' Archie said, moving back to look at Jughead. ''I don't care about your sexuality. And if anyone does, well, screw them. I don't need sex to be happy, okay? I just need you. I love you too. Always have, always will.'' A smile etched its self onto Jughead's face as he moved closer to Archie, their lips close. 

''Kissing. Kissing is okay,'' He said, closing the distance between the two again. This time was slower, smiles still on both of their faces as their noses bumped together. But once they got into the rhythm neither could care about how awkward they may have seemed. In fact, they were so absorbed in each other, they failed to realise the audience they had soon gained. 

''Ahem.'' Jug and Archie pulled back from each other, Veronica's cough bringing them back to the world. A pink tinge settled on both of their faces as their friends sat back down opposite them. A smirk lit up Chery's face who turned to Jughead and winked, jokingly, causing him to duck down his head in embarrassment. 

''I told them to wait, but they were sure you'd had enough time erm... Alone,'' Betty apologised, her hands clasped together as she fidgeted in her seat. Archie laughed. 

''I-it's fine Betty. Everything's fine,'' He said, intertwining his hand with Jughead's. 

''Well, I guess it's safe to say the song was about you which, by the way, how did you even figure out?'' Kevin asked. 

''Oh please. Grey hat's circle?? I mean, come on, Archie. At least try and be subtle about it.'' 

''I said hat, not beanie!" 

_Yeah, I'm sick of losing soulmates_  
Won't be alone again  
I can finally see, you're as fucked up as me  
So, how do we win? 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in love with this show at the moment so I wouldn't be surprised if I write more for it. I know it's not gonna happen but I just want Jarchie, Beronica and Cherosie to be cannon and happy pleASE. 
> 
> Also, I'm not asexual so I'm not highly educated on it. My ex-girlfriend was asexual so I used what she described her asexuality like to me to describe Jughead's. However, there's a lot of different spectrums of asexuality so don't take this fic as the sole definition of asexuality. But please, if you are asexual and you feel I need to correct something don't hesitate to tell me so I can learn. 
> 
> If you have any prompts feel free to throw them my way!!


End file.
